The Courier News from Blytheville, Arkansas · Page 14

f AOt FOURTEEN BLYTHEVTLLE (A«K.V NEWS WKTWKSTUT. DECF.MBKR 21. 19M Christmas Sn The Canadian Bush ^^B • ™ ~ ™ ^^ ,,,^,.,,:.^,«™«™, M ,<,^^!».!8^ :';•'•' : °. ?5 :t* ! S»?>«Sft^^SS 1. Sonta Claus shares before leoving for bite of lunch.in Long Lac depot forest clearing with team of lumberjacks and tils merry Christmas celebration. ^^M^mi^m^^aliKmmmmmiiimi«.>^i^!i^^^^«^^^^-^'^^' -» ——• •-.•™—•> -•• Long Lac lie, in perfect Christma, setting « depot superintendent WiHxod Months and son Jocelyn spell out "Noel" in lengths of iogvsood. 5 darkness descends over the snow-covered forests of Eastern . . Canada, lumberjacks in outlying camp* shoulder their oxei and saws and hit the trail to the main depot for one of the biggest celebrations of the season. Christmas is eagerly welcomed by the men who spend their winters in the dense bush cutting trees for paper ond saw mills. The woodsman of Eastern Canada is generally French-speaking, and in French Canada, Christmas Eve is more festive than Christmas Doy itself. A feature of the celebration ii the presence of Santa Claus. First he makes the rounds of the camps in a sleigh drawn not by reindeer but by a work horse. Sitting round th* open-arr fir. over which the lumberjacks cook their meals, he shares their fare and leads them in theit favorite songs. He then returns to the depot for a tour of the homes and the offices. At the recreation hall he busies himself in the most important event of the day for the children— the giving of gifts. After that, the hall becomes the chapel for the observance of Midnight Mass. When mass is ended, the feast begins. The town folk and the lumberjacks sit down at long tables piled high with good things to eat. After the meal, the tables are cleared, benches are set against the walls, and the dancing starts, h goes on until 5 a.m. During the afternoon of Christmas Day, th* young men engage in a cross-cut sawing contest and a snow-shoe race, favorite sports in the bush country. The tired but happy lumberjacks then bundle themselves into sleighs, wave goodbye to their families ond friends end head off for their camps. Pictured here is the Christmas celebration at the Long Lac depot, a paper mill headquarters, 200 miles northeast of Ottawa, Canada's capital. 3. Fancy cakes for the festive board after Midnight Mass. Rene Beau' ehomp, depot cook, prepares the icing, v*ile Mrs. Wilbrod Manila, tenter,and Mrs. Gilles Manilla apply it skilfully to the cokes. 4. f wngiwrt acquit themi.lv.t «, dor,,. fW «4« ow>to".m« «y« ol th.ir eld«s during party following M.<fai*i't Molt. i. ll't Cliriitmm aft.rnoon, om) tim. (or game* and fun. Mourice Monthly gives, display of kit i*ill in watt-cut tawing during fri.ndly match h.ld on outikirtt of Long Loc depot.